Kunming travel guide: where to stay, what to do and where to eat in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province, China.
Accommodation overview
Kunming's 67 listed properties cluster in four areas: the old city around Dongfeng Square, Jinbi Road and Nanping Street; the Green Lake (Cuihu) district to the north-west, close to the Grand Hyatt and Yunnan University; the Dianchi Lake shore, home to the InterContinental, Wyndham Grand and hot-spring resorts; and the Changshui Airport zone, which suits early flights. Kunming sits at about 1,900 m with mild weather year-round, so rates vary less by season than in most Chinese cities, apart from spikes at Spring Festival and Golden Week. Mid-scale chain hotels typically run CNY 300-700 (about USD 44-103) per night, five-star hotels typically CNY 900-2,500 (about USD 133-369), and hostel dorm beds roughly CNY 40-120 (about USD 6-18).
Hotels by budget
Find accommodation that fits your travel budget.
Budget-friendly
ibis Kunming Changshui International Airport
An ibis hotel on Hangyuan Road serving Changshui International Airport.
Check rates on Booking.comHNA Business Hotel Kunming Changshui Airport
An airport hotel near Changshui International Airport with wifi.
Check rates on Booking.comBest Yuehang Airport Hotel Kunming
An airport hotel near Changshui International Airport.
Check rates on Booking.comHome Inn Qingnian Road
A Home Inn budget-chain hotel at 151 Qingnian Road, in the Dongfeng Square area.
Check rates on Booking.comHome Inn Plus Green Lake South Road
A Home Inn Plus hotel at 152 Cuihu South Road, beside Green Lake.
Check rates on Booking.com7 Days Inn Tangzixiang Metro Station
A 7 Days Inn budget-chain hotel by Tangzixiang metro station in south-central Kunming.
Check rates on Booking.comHanting Hotel Kunming Gulou Road
A Hanting Hotel budget-chain branch in the Green Lake area of central Kunming.
Check rates on Booking.comHanting Hotel Kunming Jinbi Road
A Hanting Hotel budget-chain branch near Jinbi Road in the old city.
Check rates on Booking.comJinjiang Inn Baoyun Road
A Jinjiang Inn budget-chain hotel on Baoyun Road in northern Kunming.
Check rates on Booking.comCloudland International Youth Hostel
A hostel at 23 Zhuantang Road in Wuhua District, open since 2005, with a 24-hour front desk, luggage storage, bar, restaurant and cafe; Hostelworld reviewers score it about 9.6 out of 10.
Check rates on Booking.comUpland Youth Hostel
A hostel at 92 Huashan West Road in the old quarter, open since 2011, with free wifi.
Check rates on Booking.comLost Garden Guesthouse
A guesthouse at 7 Huanggong East Street with a Western restaurant, in the old quarter near Green Lake.
Check rates on Booking.comThe Hump Hostel
A hostel at 5 Jinbi Front Street, near Jinbi Road and Nanping Street, with wifi.
Check rates on Booking.comKunming Tiema Youth Hostel
A youth hostel in the Dongfeng Square area of central Kunming.
Check rates on Booking.comBackpacking Youth Hostel Nanping Street
A hostel on Nanping Street in central Kunming.
Check rates on Booking.comHigh Above Youth Hostel
A youth hostel at 302 Chuncheng Road in south-central Kunming, with wifi.
Check rates on Booking.comKunming Glad Inn Hostel
A hostel in Guandu District near Guanxing Road, with free wifi.
Check rates on Booking.comChunyu Qiyuan International Youth Hostel
A hostel at 17 Chunyu Road in western Kunming.
Check rates on Booking.comSpring City Star Hotel
A hotel at 636 Beijing Road, in the Dongfeng Square area.
Check rates on Booking.comJiqing Hotel Kunming
A 55-room hotel at 39 Luofeng Street in the Green Lake area, with free wifi for customers.
Check rates on Booking.comStarway Hotel Guangfu Road
A Starway chain hotel at 351 Guangfu Road in south-west Kunming.
Check rates on Booking.comQingju Hotel South Asia Style First City
A hotel at 703 Dianchi Road in the Colorful Yunnan First City complex.
Check rates on Booking.comIU Hotel Kunming Gulou Road
A hotel at 122 Gulou Road in the Green Lake area.
Check rates on Booking.comMid-range
Delta Hotels by Marriott Kunming
A 639-room Marriott-brand hotel at 206 Longhui Road, linked to the neighbouring Sheraton, with a complimentary indoor pool, a fitness centre, on-site parking and rooms with minibars, safes and rainfall showers.
Check rates on Booking.comHoward Johnson Tropical Garden Plaza Kunming
A Howard Johnson hotel at 888 Chunrong Street in Chenggong District, south-east of the city centre.
Check rates on Booking.comHilton Garden Inn Kunming Dianchi
A Hilton Garden Inn at 1363 Dianchi Road in Xishan District, on the Dianchi Lake side of the city.
Check rates on Booking.comHoliday Inn Kunming City Centre
A Holiday Inn in the city centre near Dongfeng Square.
Check rates on Booking.comHoliday Inn Express Kunming Jinwa Road
A Holiday Inn Express at 999 Jinwa Road in eastern Kunming.
Check rates on Booking.comHoliday Inn Express Kunming West
A three-star Holiday Inn Express at 451 Renmin West Road in western Kunming.
Check rates on Booking.comHoliday Inn Spring City Lakeshore Golf Villa
A Holiday Inn resort in the Spring City Lakeshore golf community at Yangzong Lake, Yiliang County.
Check rates on Booking.comKunming Hotel
A long-established hotel at 52 Dongfeng Road beside Dongfeng Square, opened in 1958 and renovated in 1992, with more than 300 rooms on 14 floors.
Check rates on Booking.comGreen Lake Hotel Kunming
A hotel beside Green Lake Park that has operated since 1956 and has about 294 rooms in a European-style building.
Check rates on Booking.comKunming Jinjiang Hotel
A four-star, 23-storey tower at 98 Beijing Road that opened in February 1992 with about 320 rooms.
Check rates on Booking.comNew Era Hotel Kunming
A hotel in central Kunming near the Jinbi Road area.
Check rates on Booking.comKunming Lake View Hotel
A hotel at 222 Renmin Middle Road, close to Green Lake.
Check rates on Booking.comHenson Hotel Kunming Wancaicheng Tongde Plaza
A four-star hotel in northern Kunming at the Wancaicheng Tongde Plaza shopping complex.
Check rates on Booking.comEconomic and Trade Hotel Kunming
A four-star hotel near Dongfeng Square in central Kunming.
Check rates on Booking.comGolden Spring Hotel Kunming
A hotel at 97 Renmin East Road in the Dongfeng Square area.
Check rates on Booking.comDianchi Garden Resort Hotel and Spa
A resort hotel with a hot-spring spa in the Dianchi National Tourism Resort, Xishan District.
Check rates on Booking.comDianchi Hotel
A lakeside hotel in the Dianchi National Tourism Resort, Xishan District.
Check rates on Booking.comDianchi Lake View Hotel
A hotel in the Dianchi National Tourism Resort, Xishan District.
Check rates on Booking.comCamellia Hotel Kunming
A hotel in the north-east of central Kunming.
Check rates on Booking.comYunnan University Hotel
A hotel beside the Yunnan University campus, a short distance from Green Lake.
Check rates on Booking.comJinma Grand Hotel
A hotel in the Jinma Biji Square area at the southern end of the old city.
Check rates on Booking.comEmpark Grand Hotel Kunming
A hotel in the Dianchi area south of the city centre.
Check rates on Booking.comYunnan Business Hotel
A hotel near Green Lake in central Kunming.
Check rates on Booking.comFairyland Hotel Dongfeng Plaza
A three-star hotel near Dongfeng Square with free wifi.
Check rates on Booking.comFairyland Hotel Kundu
A hotel at 155 Guofang Road, near Green Lake.
Check rates on Booking.comMoon and Chalice Boutique Hotel
A boutique hotel at 104 Guanghua Street in the old quarter of Kunming.
Check rates on Booking.comHerton Hot Spring Hotel
A hot-spring hotel in the north-east of central Kunming.
Check rates on Booking.comChihiro Mowen Hot Spring Spa Hotel
A hot-spring spa hotel in eastern Kunming.
Check rates on Booking.comOCT Qunyinghui Hotel Kunming
A hotel in the OCT resort area at Yangzong Lake, Yiliang County.
Check rates on Booking.comJi Hotel Kunming Jinbi Road
A Ji Hotel mid-scale chain branch near Jinbi Road in the old city.
Check rates on Booking.comJi Hotel Kunming South Ring Road
A Ji Hotel mid-scale chain branch in the south-west of the city.
Check rates on Booking.comAtour Kunming Nanping Street
An Atour mid-scale chain branch in the Nanping Street and Jinbi Road area.
Check rates on Booking.comLuxury
Grand Hyatt Kunming
A 331-room hotel that opened in August 2024 at 1 Chongli Street in Panlong District, near Green Lake Park and Nanping Pedestrian Street, with four restaurants, the Altitude bar, an indoor pool, a health club with steam room and a two-room spa.
Check rates on Booking.comInterContinental Kunming
A resort hotel of roughly 540 rooms at No. 5 Yijing Road in the Dianchi National Tourism Resort, on the shore of Dianchi Lake in Xishan District, about 40 minutes by car from Changshui Airport.
Check rates on Booking.comSofitel Kunming
A five-star hotel at 777 South Ring Road in Xishan District, south-west of the old city.
Check rates on Booking.comSheraton Kunming
A 427-room Sheraton at 206 Longhui Road, connected to Delta Hotels Kunming; guests of the twin complex share the restaurants, fitness centre, indoor pool and spa.
Check rates on Booking.comWyndham Grand Plaza Royale Colorful Yunnan
A five-star Wyndham-operated hotel in the Colorful Yunnan (South Asia Style First City) complex at 569 Dianchi Road, Xishan District, open since June 2012.
Check rates on Booking.comKai Wah Plaza Hotel Kunming
A five-star hotel in the Kai Wah Plaza complex in south-central Kunming.
Check rates on Booking.comHoward Johnson Flower City Hotel Kunming
A five-star Howard Johnson hotel at 8188 Jinwa Road in eastern Kunming.
Check rates on Booking.comWanda Realm Kunming Hailybinya Hot Spring Hotel
A Wanda Realm hotel with a hot-spring bathing complex in the Dianchi Lake area south of the city.
Check rates on Booking.comBolian Resort and Spa Kunming
A hot-spring resort hotel in the Yangzong Lake area of Yiliang County, east of Kunming.
Check rates on Booking.comCrowne Plaza Kunming City Centre
An 18-storey IHG hotel at 399 Qingnian Road, close to Dongfeng Square and the Panlong River.
Check rates on Booking.comBest neighborhoods to stay
Choose your base based on your interests and travel style.
City Center
The heart of Kunming with easy access to main attractions, restaurants, and transportation.
Best for: First-time visitors, short stays
Old Town
Traditional architecture and local character. Walking distance to historical sites and authentic dining.
Best for: Culture enthusiasts, photographers
Our top picks
Handpicked recommendations for every type of traveler.
Grand Hyatt Kunming
A 331-room hotel that opened in August 2024 at 1 Chongli Street in Panlong District, near Green Lake Park and Nanping Pedestrian Street, with four restaurants, the Altitude bar, an indoor pool, a health club with steam room and a two-room spa.
Check rates on Booking.comInterContinental Kunming
A resort hotel of roughly 540 rooms at No. 5 Yijing Road in the Dianchi National Tourism Resort, on the shore of Dianchi Lake in Xishan District, about 40 minutes by car from Changshui Airport.
Check rates on Booking.comSofitel Kunming
A five-star hotel at 777 South Ring Road in Xishan District, south-west of the old city.
Check rates on Booking.comSheraton Kunming
A 427-room Sheraton at 206 Longhui Road, connected to Delta Hotels Kunming; guests of the twin complex share the restaurants, fitness centre, indoor pool and spa.
Check rates on Booking.comDelta Hotels by Marriott Kunming
A 639-room Marriott-brand hotel at 206 Longhui Road, linked to the neighbouring Sheraton, with a complimentary indoor pool, a fitness centre, on-site parking and rooms with minibars, safes and rainfall showers.
Check rates on Booking.comWyndham Grand Plaza Royale Colorful Yunnan
A five-star Wyndham-operated hotel in the Colorful Yunnan (South Asia Style First City) complex at 569 Dianchi Road, Xishan District, open since June 2012.
Check rates on Booking.comBooking tips
Get the best deals and avoid common mistakes.
Stay near Dongfeng Square or Green Lake to reach the old city, Green Lake Park and Nanping Street on foot; Metro Lines 1, 2 and 3 meet at Dongfeng Square.
Dianchi Lake hotels such as the InterContinental and Wyndham Grand lie 30-45 minutes from the centre; they suit lakeside walks and golf but need a taxi or ride-hailing for the old city.
Changshui International Airport lies well north-east of the city, so airport-area hotels suit very early or late flights.
Book well ahead for Spring Festival and Golden Week, when rates rise and well-known hotels sell out.
Foreign guests must present an original passport at check-in so the hotel can register them with the police; some small guesthouses are not licensed to accept foreigners, so confirm before booking.
Kunming's altitude of about 1,900 m keeps temperatures mild, but winter heating varies by property, so check before booking budget rooms.
Compare rates across Trip.com, international platforms and hotel sites; many chains offer member rates and breakfast inclusions.
Alternative accommodations
Beyond traditional hotels, consider these options.
Guesthouses
Family-run guesthouses offer authentic local experiences and often include home-cooked meals. Great for cultural immersion.
Serviced apartments
Ideal for longer stays or families. Kitchen facilities help save money and provide flexibility.
Hostels
Budget-friendly option for solo travelers. Dorms and private rooms available with social common areas.